New Friends in the Republic

[Hanna Ike]

@[member="Rosa Mazhar"]
Hanna smiled as she found her self, in the lounge of the Capitol building. She was the youngest person she had yet to meet in politics, and as Vice Chancellor she got all sorts of interesting responses form older and more experienced politicians. She just wanted to have some sort of friend and she had set out to find someone. So here she was in the empty lounge, it seemed that yet again she was in another dead end. That was the last thing Hanna had done before she had found her self at the a club She knew there were many people her age there, So here she was at a private club for Republic Senate and other members of the Republic armed services only. She wondered if perhaps she could meet some sort of soldier or someone that perhaps was friendly enough and brave enough to talk to her, the vice channcellor. That was her problem, the guards and title seemed to intimidate everyone.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa took a deep breath outside the club, part of her dreading stepping inside while the other bubbled with excitement at catching up with the old and new in the republic. She was vaguely aware of a holocamera at the edge of her vision, the first to catch a glimpse of the old SIAC advisor. Only a few days into her training she was already beginning to feel like herself again and the fear at being seen again no longer held its grasp on her. Crossing the threshold she moved through the noisy club, instantly finding people she knew and exchanging hugs and kissing cheeks as they pressed drinks into her hands and asked what she was doing back and why she had left.

Successfully avoiding the latter question, she sipped her drink and listened to their stories though her eyes caught sight of the Vice Chancellor sitting alone. "You must come to the opening ceremony of the new senate building, Rosa, its supposed to be the best ball of the year." Rosa laughed and shook her head. "I think not, Senator, this is quite enough of a to do for me. Please excuse me." With a gentle smile she moved away and approached the booth in which the Vice Chancellor sat. Careful not to pass the guards without invitation she offered a friendly smile "Vice Chancellor Lissiri, it saddens me to see you on your own, may I join you?"

 

[Hanna Ike]

Hanna smiled as she heard a voice, She recognized the face, It was Rosa.... Roasa Mazhar, that war right, she was glad to see someone approached her, as she was sort of the black sheep, picked as Vice Chancellor for relations with Hapes, some didn't take her seriously. But it was good to see that someone was approaching her. She motioned for her, and the guards moved aside, " Please please come, I don't have many aqaintces in the inner branches of the Republic Poltics. As I only really know the Republic's Ambassador. " It was the truth, she might of been voted in as Vice Chancellor but that didn't mean they liked her as a person. " Miss Mazhar is it? Please have a drink on me."

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa winked at the guards as they moved aside and settled into the seat opposite Hanna. "That is a great pity," she said in relation to the Chancllors's lack of aqquantences "I think, a lot of politicians find the appearance of guards somewhat threatening and occasionally insulting. Why after all, would you need so much protection in a republic run bar?" She smiled and sipped at her drink. "If I might make a suggestion, invest in one very good body guard that knows how to blend in rather than two not so good, guards. People will find you more approachable then." She noticed one of the guards giving her a sideways glare and smiled even more.

"Please," she said waving away Hanna's use of her surname. "Call me Rosa, formalities are overrated. Thank you." she said accepting a drink.

 

[Hanna Ike]

She smiled" I will have to keep that in mind, but I mainly keep them around as I was taught to always have protection even where you think your safe... " She smiled that Rosa had taken her drink. It was an good point, the guards stuck out like sore thumbs. It was sad really. " So, what is it you are up to these days, I remember seeing you around and such but then you vanished. " Hanna was curious. she took a drink and wondered what rosa did. she had to admit that the drinks here were good and the company she supposed as well.
" Though I must say it seems everyone knows you."

 

[Rosa Gunn]

"After the assassination, I figured I was better off in a role where I was less likely to make enemies that would try to hurt the ones I cared about. Or at least be in a position to defend them, so, tomorrow I start my training as a Jedi Knight." There was a hint of pride in her voice and she took another sip of her drink and cast an eye over the crowd she had left.
"They like to think they know me, but none of them really do." she gave a small smile "I made a point of scratching a few backs when I was on SIAC in order to keep my position secure and ensure I had support." She looked back at Hana with a sly smile "It works wonders, but nothing personal comes from them. What you saw was false, people recognising an old tool and seeking to sweeten it up enough to work for them again."

 

[Hanna Ike]

Hannaa smiled, " Wow a jedi Knight? that is a step in a different direction. but it makes sense, I am glad you have found a way to be happy again." She had heard about the assassination but hadn't looked deep into it. She looked over the crowd. " I know, the power of a favor or two... " She figured that since she hadn't been in official office yet she had yet to earn a side. " Well I am having a hard time adjusting, it is strange not being with my mother or in Hapan, and being on my own, It made me realize I don't have that many friends just people like you just spoke of and I don't really know my way around as well as I thought. " Hanna was no longer the fun care free daughter of the ambassador, and now she was alone. " So you have to tell me why a jedi? " She wondered what led the choice to be a jedi as she heard it was a hard thing to be one and not a easy thing to get to be.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa gave Hanna a sympatheic smile "The first few months is always the hardest in a new position, people take time to warm up to you. Don't worry it will al fall into place." She wrapped her hands around her glass, her smile fading alightly at her question.

"Well, my mother was a Senator, so I followed in her steps first of all and that didn't exactly go to plan in the end. My father was a Jedi Master and I had received some very minor training from him at a young age so I figured I should try his footsteps. He always did want me to join the order but, despite it all I found a love for politics. You should see my trainer," she added with a sly grin "If he doesn't encourage a woman to join the order, nothing will." she chuckled.

"What about you?" she said straightening up "Vice Chancellor is quite a role."

 

[Hanna Ike]

She nodded, " I hope your right. " She wondered what being a jedi all meant, all she knew is that they wielded strange weapons and such. " Oh? well if thats the case sign me up" she said with a laugh, knowing that she would hardly qualify to be some warrior. " Well I grew up being the daughter of the Hapan Ambassador and with recent moves, I have been chosen as Vice Chancellor mostly to satsify conditions of Hapan joining the Republic. To tell the truth, I am nervous as can be, I have never really been in politics my self, only watched my mother. I am rather terrified at the thought of me making such important decisons but luckily the Chancellor is willing to help me where my inexperience lies,. "

The role of Vice Chancellor was a big one. That it was " So does this mean you get to run around the galaxy with one of those laser swords? " she said with a giggle.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa gave Hanna an encouraging smile. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Follow your head when it comes to the tough decision's and go with your gut on the rest. Honesty is the best policy regardless of what everyone else might tell you about deceit and playing games. Never mix business with pleasure, and remember there is more written between the lines than on the lines themselves." she counted the pieces of advice she could give off on her fingertips. "That's the best advice I can give you. But if you ever need someone to give you an unbiased and honest opinion I will be more than happy to help you." she offered with a small smile.

A laugh escaped at Hanna's suggestion. "I imagine so, but until I'm trained it will be done with my tutor at my side. We all have to carry a lightsaber once we've built them, but not everyone likes to use them"

 

[Hanna Ike]

"So your going to be training, I will have to come visit " She said with a smile, knowing that it would also give her a chance to see more jedi. " So what are your thoughts on galactic politics right now? tensions are rather high, i would love a fresh perspective" She said taking a drink before looking around, it seemed to have thinned out a bit, Hanna was curious how popular this club was.. She loved the advice that rosa gave. " Be careful I might just take you up on that offer. "

 

[Rosa Gunn]

"That would be nice." Rosa said with a smile. She hadn't yet made herself any friends at the temple, to have one visit would more than make her day, even if it would disturb her training. She was taken aback by Hanna's next question. Politics hadn't crossed her mind for three years until tonight. She hadn't even been paying attention to the holonews in order to keep up to date with it. She let out a long breath "I won't lie Vice Chancellor, I've been out of touch for a while, I couldn't give you an opinion without knowing what been going on behind the scenes. Obviously I know about the current war between Sith and Mandalorians but that was always going to be a war or an allegiance..." she trailed off, thoughtful for a moment about the Sith before she said "I have a feeling conquering Mandalorian space is not all that's on their list. The sith have never been the sharing type after all."

 

[Hanna Ike]

Hanna smiled " Its fine... I recently had to expand the number of issues I ever cared about but I agree, they certaintly don't intend to stop after the mandolorians. " It was a funny thing but Rosa was the first real friend that hanna had seemed to make here, it was nice. " So do you think you would be able to escape the jedi once in a while to do things, I am sure there is no limit to the amount of trouble the two of us could get into. ' she thought about doing your standard girl things hair and such but then she thought about the fact a jedi had to train and would hardly invest in her appearance like Hanna had to. hmm what could she invite Rosa to do, Jedi were so different, they trained all the time she just hoped she could find something for them to do, that was of course if the answer to her question was yes. She wondered if Rosa maybe did like those things, after all you can make a girl a jedi but you can't take the girl out of the jedi, she thought, and surely Rosa would want to do something with her.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

The thought of a sith invasion was a sobering thought, despite the drink in front of her. It would seem that Hanna had other thoughts and it was one that brought a wide smile to Rosa's face. "Oh I would love to. Whether I can or not is another matter but i'm sure if I tell my master that the Vice Chancellor would like to see me I could get away with it." she chuckled. Hanna's thoughts were right on track with Rosa. She was a girl and she loved to get dressed up, three years of locking oneself away had taken its toll and she would love nothing mnore than to spend some time with a girl.

"I haven't had any girly time for a while, Hanna," she said without thinking before clapping her hand over her mouth "Sorry! Vice Chancellor!" Just because she felt that formalities were overated that did not mean that the Vice Chancellor did. She felt like she was in the company of a friend and forgot who she was speaking to. "Sorry." she said again.

 

[Hanna Ike]

Hanna burst out laughing, " its fine, Please call me Hanna, I much rather go by that then by Vice Chancellor. " She smiled and thought about it, "Well then we should defintely schedule that girly time, as I would love to relax with a freind" She had done it, she had made the step and called Rosa her frieind, she only hoped that she didn't mind. " You know that sounds like you are taking advantage of my postion " she said with a smirk that formed due to her inablitiy to hold a straight face. Hanna was glad to move away from talks of politics, and as thus " So I am curious, do you live with the Jedi or just go there like work everyday? " Hanna said as she jumped topics yet again, She had to get better at that but her mind had come up with the question darn it.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa relaxed When Hanna confirmed it was ok to call her by her first name. Friend was an unusual term in politics, it came with many underlying demands, and it took a moment for Rosa to remember that she was not a politician, and whatever demands may underline a friendship between politicians, did not affect this friendship. "That," she said raising her glass "Is worth toasting about. To new friends."

She chuckled at her suggestion of taking advantage of her position. "A girl has got to do, what a girl has got to do." she said with a wink.

She took a sip of her drink as Hanna questioned her more about being a Jedi. "Yes I will be living there. It's very nice actually. have you ever been to the temple? Jedi aside the architecture is beautiful, worth a visit even if your not going to see Jedi."

 

[Hanna Ike]

"To new friends" She said taking a drink and laughing at her comment, " Of course, I will have to personally confirm any questions from your masters, that we will enteriley be doing serious business when you come to 'talk' with me. " She would let them figure out why on earth the Vice Chancellor wanted to see a padawan. It was fun to be with a friend.
" Well if your there I will have to sneak over, if nothing else to see this master of yourse. " She smiled and took another drink. " Well what is the postion for? if not to at least make it so my friends can visit with me. " She just had to ensure that her aides didn't ignore Rosa, like they did several others. " I must thank you for this all, your the first person who has been so nice to me since I have been named the Youngest Vice Chancellor in history"

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa grinned at the mention of Darron again "Its worth the visit just for that too. Though I should warn you there is a statue of him and I'm not sure he's very fond of it so if you see it before you see him I wouldn't mention it." It really was good to talk to a female friend again, it made Rosa feel more human than she had been for a long time. she was however surprised at Hanna's thanks and she shook her head rapidly "No, don't thank me for goodness sake. You don't need to. You're not the only one short of friends at the moment believe me."

She sighed "Still, the youngest Vice Chancellor in history...a title like that can create some jealousy, which might be why your finding it hard to make friends here." shrugging she took another sip of her drink "Let the wallow in their envy, its their loss. Given time they will realise that."

 

[Hanna Ike]

Hanna laughed, " There is a statue of him!" That peaked her interest, surely he wasn't that important " Surely he likes the fact he was honored, though he must be pretty good, at what he does to have a statue while he still lives. " She said finding it odd to be talking to another female well it was refreshing. " So does this mean you are interested in becoming more than student and teacher " She said with a smirk and a laugh, curious indeed because if he was as good looking as she said, it would make sense. It seemed strange that she was the youngest Vice Chancellor, it blew her mind. She was higher yet younger than almost everyone in the senate. It was so weird. " I suppose, which is why most are unfriendly but when they learn that I am ready to be either their friend or enemy I am sure they will come around." She ordered another drink for them both as she held hers up to knock glasses again, she did love her drinking, she just had to remember to keep it down, she was someone important now.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa finished the last of her drink in time for Hanna to order more. "It's a complicated matter," she said still speaking about Darron and his statue. "When it was raised he was missing, presumed to be dead and sorely missed by the Jedi. Then twenty years later he comes back and hasn't aged a day, turns out he'd been frozen in carbonite." she shrugged "Don't ask me the how or why, I couldn't tell you. All I know is that the only way to avoid getting wrinkles is to spend a few years in carbonite." she laughed and then shook her head about becoming more that teacher and student. "I think that sort of thing is frowned upon, but who knows maybe when I'm knighted something will change. I'm not one to place false hopes on something that may or my not happen."

Accepting the second drink she clinked it against Hanna's with a wide smile. "Enough about my love interest. Is there anyone in the capitol that has caught your eye?"